Words for Wellbeing - Edition 12 - August 12th, 2021

Welcome to Words for Wellbeing

Welcome to your fortnightly Wellbeing newsletter. You’ll find new information to enhance your health and wellness to keep you Fit4Life. These will include shining a spotlight on signature character strengths; top tips from the science of wellbeing; Conversations on the Couch with our Emmanuel family; and, loads more. We hope you enjoy them and we’re happy to take requests if there’s something in the wellbeing realm you’d love to learn more about.

In this edition we celebrate National Science Week for 2021. Science and wellbeing go hand in hand, with all of our tools coming from well-researched, evidence-based practices, underpinned by widely accepted theories and models. There's so much for you in this newsletter including the launch of a new anonymous question asking format called You Can! Ask That; a message from Trent Cotchin for all of our students; sci-fi book recommendations from Mrs Sinnott; science experiments you can try at home; plus, much, much more.

To our entire Emmanuel Community and please enjoy everything on offer in this edition of Words for Wellbeing.

You Can! Ask That

Your Fit4Life Wellbeing Team are excited to launch You Can! Ask That, a new way for you to access information and answers to the questions you're not sure how or who to ask.

We'll be inviting experts in our community to answer some of your questions and in each edition of Words for Wellbeing, you'll find video and text responses to your questions.

The best part is, it's all completely anonymous so you don't have to feel shy about asking us something you've been wondering about, and it can be about ANYTHING.

Click on the link to access the QR code to scan and submit your question. Or, go to www.menti.com and enter code 4943 9306 to do the same thing.

There will be posters all over school with the QR code and link, and you'll also find them in each Words for Wellbeing newsletter.

So what are you waiting for? You Can! Ask That!

Scan the QR code or follow the link below and enter the code. Note: The Code changes every week.

Our Year 12 students participated in a Fit4Life session on respectful relationships in July and were invited to split into two groups to discuss their ideas around what a healthy, respectful relationship looks like. As you can see, for the purposes of the session, the groups were binary with students electing which group they felt more comfortable with.

It may not come as a surprise that there were two very clear communication styles between the groups, but while the boys were more succinct and the girls perhaps more expressive, common themes around equality, trust, communication and loyalty emerged. We look forward to answering some of the questions raised in the Year 12 session below.

Here are two of the questions and answers based on the conversations we had with the Year 12 students. A video response from the SOCIT team will be in our next edition so don't miss that one.

1.What are the laws around being touched/groped at a club or a party?

The laws relate to Sexual Assault – the touch/grope must be unwanted, deliberate and of a sexual manner (genital/breast areas etc.)

2.In Victoria is there a statute of limitations that says if someone has been raped they have three years to report it otherwise no case can be made, is this true?

No – There is no statute of limitations in regards to sexual assault charges.  Charges can be laid at any time after the assault has taken place.

And as an added bonus, here's an episode from Take Up Space -  https://takeupspace.org.au/

About Take Up Space

A lot has changed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (to say the least!), and we know this can have an effect on things like relationships, school, work, home-life, sense of community and overall health and wellbeing.

Take Up Space encourages young people to share their experiences with others and recognise that you are not alone.

Throughout this project, we focus on topics that are sometimes hard to talk about, like:

• Mental health and wellbeing
• Sexual wellbeing
• Healthy relationships

Working closely with members of the community, we have developed a series of resources that support young people in these areas. Together, we want to promote the voices of young people and encourage them to TAKE UP SPACE!

A message from Trent Cotchin for Emmanuel Year 12s

Are we in lockdown or are we out of lockdown? It all changes so fast these days, we'd be forgiven for not knowing what day it is.

While it's tough on all of us with ever-moving goal posts, we wanted to acknowledge just how disruptive this year has been on our Year 12 students and so, we organised a special gift for our students - Posisocks!

Founded by Trent and Brooke Cotchin, Posisocks is a brand that exists to make a positive difference in people's lives.

Trent says, "It’s about aligning your purpose with action and trying to help others. From the education we consume and provide, the love we give, the appreciation we show and then the daily habits we create. This for me is the journey, and that is what brings us happiness, not the destination."

Brooke says, "I love the quote that says 'Love is something you do; something not just to be said, but also to be shown.' As a family, we have been on quite a journey since we welcomed Harper (our first) into the world. As parents, we feel that educating our kids around being kind, present and mindful is an important part of their development and will be such a great asset for them as they grow through life. I love the connection of putting your kids' socks on their little toes and reading to them that you love them. Our lives tend to pass without us being aware and our minds can become very chaotic at times, leaving behind the most precious thing we have- the present moment. After all, children are creatures of connection and crave our love and attention."

Our socks help inspire a positive mindset and help spread a positive message:       

Win the morning, win the day․

Posisocks Day!

How the science of wellbeing can help build resilience

As a celebration of National Science Week, we're sharing this article on the Science of Wellbeing and building resilience throughout the pandemic.

Original article https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2021/07/20/how-the-science-of-wellbeing-can-help-build-resilience.html
What wellbeing research can tell us about navigating crises, from teddy bears in windows to panic buying, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how crises can elicit different human behaviours. A University of Sydney expert is calling for a shift in thinking from 'me' to 'we' to bolster communities through the pandemic.

Professor Felicia Huppert, Honorary Professor with the Body, Heart and Mind in Business Research Group at the University of Sydney, gave an online seminar about how the science of wellbeing can be applied in everyday life.

“What the pandemic has shown us is that society is more than capable of acting collectively in the face of grave danger,” Professor Huppert, Founding Director of the Well-being Institute at the University of Cambridge, said. 

“The ways we are currently addressing big social and environmental issues are not working. By shifting our focus from short-term self-interest to the long-term benefit for all, we have the opportunity to develop happier individuals, a fairer society and a healthier environment.”

With hundreds of papers in peer-reviewed journals, Professor Huppert is internationally renowned for her work on the science of wellbeing. During her seminar, she highlighted why loneliness is a real problem for our wellbeing.

“Feeling connected is profoundly important for sustainable wellbeing. One of the best antidotes to loneliness is connecting with others through volunteering, for example,” she explained. 

She co-authored the recently published book, Creating The World We Want To Live In, drawing on science and success stories from positive psychology. In the seminar, she discussed the five psychological principles for sustainable wellbeing:

1. Feeling connected
2. Sense of autonomy
3. Feeling competent
4. Noticing what’s going well
5. Sense of meaning

“Our wellbeing is far better when we focus on strengths rather than weaknesses, on assets rather than deficits. This is where positive psychology comes in,” Professor Huppert said.

“The way we think, feel and act has a profound impact on our personal wellbeing and also creates a ripple effect on those around us and the world we live in."

She also highlighted the three core skills that underpin the principles, which are having:

• Mindful awareness
• Compassion and kindness
• Clear or critical thinking

We don't know about you, but we feel as though our Emmanuel Community are ahead of the game. 

When National Science Week meets Book Week

By Mrs Sinnott 

Is Science Fiction your thing?  Do you love to read Science Fiction books? 

Top Scifi Reads For 2021: 

Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor
Sankofa and her fox companion search the world for answers about what created her. 

 The Ninth Metal by Benjamin Percy
When a meteor shower rains a new and powerful metal onto Earth, the US Midwest erupts in a gold rush and nothing is ever the same again. 

Unity by Elly Bangs
This book starts underwater but it turns into a Mad Max style chase across the post-apocalyptic US, exploring identity and our sense of self. 

Top Sci-Fi Reads From Emmanuel Library – the most popular ones: 

The Giver by Lois Lowry:
Jonas is selected to be the Receiver of Memory 

The Fall of Reach (book 1) by Eric Nylund:
the mysterious and ancient artificial world called Halo 

The Flood by William C Dietz:
The Master Chief must lead the scattered troops in a brutal race to unravel Hal’s darkest mystery and unleash its greatest source of power 

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline:
it’s the year 2044 and the real world is an ugly place – Wase stumbles upon the first puzzle 

Killer T by Robert Muchamore:
Killer T is a synthetic virus  

Some of the most famous Science Fiction books to catch up on if you haven’t read them: 

• The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham
• The Martian by Andy Weir
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• 1984 by George Orwell
• The Time Machine by H G Wells
• Dune by Frank Herbert
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
• The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
• Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
• The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
• The Stand by Stephen King
• Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
• The War of the Worlds by H G Wells 

Science fiction books certainly take you to Old Worlds, New Worlds and Other Worlds - the Book Week theme for this year.

Have I missed any?  Are there some that you have read that you would add to this list?  Let me know by sending me an email to msinnott@emmanuel.vic.edu.au.

Do it Yourself Science Experiments

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Running each year in August, it features more than 1000 events around Australia, including those delivered by universities, schools, research institutions, libraries, museums and science centres. These events attract a wide audience from children to adults, and science amateurs to professionals. Over one million people participate in science events across the nation.

Science and wellbeing go hand in hand, with all of our tools coming from well-researched, evidence- based practices, underpinned by widely accepted theories and models.

To celebrate, Mrs Wellens has created a video of her experiment to create lava lamps with ingredients from her kitchen at home. Following the video, there are some extra do-it-yourself science experiments!

Learning Diversity Fornightly Column

Inclusive Education: Essential for some, but good for ALL!

How do we ensure all are included?

Many of the world’s brightest minds struggled at school or even failed. We are all different from each other. We all see the world through our own lens. Who is to say which is right? 

Including all open us to wonders of the world to which we may be blind.

Is there one thing you can do today to include a friend, a colleague or a family member who may need your help?

Mindfulness @ Rice

Fit4Life, Wellbeing @ Emmanuel College

Your 2021 Fit4Life Wellbeing Team are, from left to right, Jodie Fleming (School Psychologist), Rachele Sloane (Wellbeing coordinator), Claire Wrigley (Assistant Principal Students Wellbeing), Tracey van Rooy (Student Wellbeing Intake Officer). You can look forward to meeting us all through the Conversations on the Couch in coming editions, or, in person anytime!

We have moved but we are still located on McAuley campus. You’ll now find us upstairs in the Convent, at the end of the Year 7 corridor, directly above the Heritage room.

Can’t follow my instructions? Here are some videos coming from The Stage, the front office, and from the Year 7 corridor. Simply click on the links for a speedy tour.

We also have spaces on Rice and Goold campuses. Teachers, parents and guardians and students are all able to refer students to us. If you'd like to catch up, simply email us at wellbeing@emmanuel.vic.edu.au

Fit Bits

Our weekly Fit Bits links are designed to energise, motivate and encourage us to take brain breaks and mindful moments throughout each day for our minds and our bodies.

Energisers:

Brain Breaks:

Mindful Moments:

Motivational Music:

We hope you’ve found something useful in this edition of Words for Wellbeing.

Our past editions of Words for Wellbeing contain useful reminders about how to cope with many different scenarios. You’ll find all of our past editions online - just follow this link and enter Words for Wellbeing in the search bar: 

Stay tuned for our next edition of Words for Wellbeing!

In the meantime, if you need to contact Wellbeing, please email us at wellbeing@emmanuel.vic.edu.au to organise a catch up or just to check in or offer us any suggestions or feedback on our Words for Wellbeing.

Stay safe and well everyone.

Love from your Wellbeing Team